“Phoenix Suns spoil Paul George’s 76ers debut”

The Philadelphia 76ers finally got Paul George on the court during the regular season.

After the nine-time All-Star recovered from a bone bruise in his knee suffered in the preseason, George made his debut in the Sixers' Monday night game against the Phoenix Suns.

While Philadelphia kept the game close on the road at the start of the road trip, they failed to come out on top. The Sixers failed with a 118:116 defeat.

Personally, George checked in for 31 minutes. Going into the game, it was expected that he would be on a minutes restriction that night.

George fired 13 shots from the field. Seven of his attempts came from beyond the arc. George struggled from deep and made only one of his three-point attempts. Six of his points came from the charity stripe. He finished the game with 15 points.

George also collected five rebounds and dished out four assists. He led the Sixers with a total of seven turnovers.

While it wasn't George's sharpest shooting night, it was clear that the All-Star forward's presence alone made a big difference for the Sixers. Heading into the 2024-2025 season, most of the attention was on Tyrese Maxey, whose usage was much higher than usual.

With his strong presence on the court, Maxey remained aggressive and had an efficient shooting night. The former All-Star knocked down 12 of his 23 throws and collected six of three balls. With two free throws added, Maxey led the Sixers with 32 points.

The 76ers tied the game and nearly tied the game to force overtime in the final seconds. George managed to score the shot by creating his own shot in the final seconds. Unfortunately he was unsuccessful.

The loss dropped the Sixers to 1-5 on the season. They hope the George-Maxey combination continues to grow over time and the eventual presence of Joel Embiid helps the 76ers take a big step in the right direction.